Willingness to collaborate is ‘moving dial’ on overtourism

Destinations and tour operators say willingness to collaborate is helping to “move the dial” on overtourism.

The UK director of the Spanish Tourism Office Manuel Butler told Abta’s Travel Convention there was already evidence of increased sales of shoulder season trips and consumers looking for off the beaten track locations in Spain.

He was confident the tourist board, working with Abta and the travel trade, in particular tour operators, could succeed in easing the problems of overtourism.

“We are beginning to move the dial. Working with the UK industry, based on collaboration of all the stakeholders, I think we will achieve it,” he said.

Destinations such as Barcelona were already reducing overtourism by listening to the local community. “They are going about it the right way,” he added.

Intrepid managing director EMEA Zena Bencheikh (pictured) agreed: “I feel really optimistic for better collaboration between the private and public sector. There is a real willingness to support operators like us.”

She said taking small groups of tourists to lesser-known destinations – something Intrepid is known for – had already become more of a trend.

She also gave examples of Intrepid’s work on overtourism, including its ‘Not Hot List’ and the launch of Greenland when Iceland was “booming” to shift demand away to a similar but less busy destination to prevent overtourism.

“There are destinations that don’t have enough tourism and could benefit; where we don’t put the spotlight on them enough. That’s why we launched the ‘Not Hot List’,” she said.

Tui head of sustainability Ian Corbett said there was a “shared responsibility” between travel firms and destinations to “put growth where it’s most welcome”.

He said: “All destinations have limits. It’s for locations to decide the limit. It starts with the destination setting the frame, and then it’s dialogue.”

He said Tui was keen to grow off season tourism such as ‘racecations’, giving the example of the Tui Mediterrean Marathon League which promotes tourism through sporting events in destinations.

“We are looking to grow this type of more innovative approach for off season activities,” he said.